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Mohd Hanapi IR, Behnke JM, Sahimin N, Saifulazmi NF, Golam Mohammad Khan ASJ, Abdul Mutalib RNS, Lau YL, Mohd Zain SN. Intestinal parasitic infections and risk analysis among urban refugees in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2024; 118:18-32. [PMID: 37497742 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trad047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Global studies show intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) have been introduced and spread with refugee inflows from low to high socio-economic countries. However, there is relatively limited information on the prevalence of infections among the community. METHODS A 2-year cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors for infections among urban refugees in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. A total of 418 faecal samples were collected and examined by microscopy. RESULTS Faecal screening revealed moderate levels (32.3%) of infections in the community. Three nematode (Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm) and three protozoan species (Entamoeba, Giardia and Cryptosporidium) were recorded, with the highest prevalence being A. lumbricoides (20.6%) followed by T. trichiura (10.3%), while other infections were <5%. Statistical analysis found that young males with less education were more likely to be infected with helminths. Additionally, living near waste disposal sites, the presence of stray animals, eating with bare hands, bare footedness, poor handwashing practices and no anthelmintic treatment constituted significant risk factors for helminth infections. Protozoan infections were linked to drinking tap water or from water dispensers and poor handwashing practices. CONCLUSIONS These findings emphasize the importance of health education in addition to introduction of biannual anthelmintic treatment to promote community health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izzah Ruzana Mohd Hanapi
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jerzy M Behnke
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Norhidayu Sahimin
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nur Fadlin Saifulazmi
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Raisya Nur Syazmeen Abdul Mutalib
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kulliyah of Allied Health Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, 25200 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Yee Ling Lau
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Siti Nursheena Mohd Zain
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Chaudhary MN, Lim VC, Sahimin N, Faller EM, Regmi P, Aryal N, Azman AS. Assessing the knowledge of, attitudes towards, and practices in, food safety among migrant workers in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Travel Med Infect Dis 2023; 54:102620. [PMID: 37487946 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2023.102620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Annually, 600 million individuals are affected by food-borne diseases (FBD), alongside 425,000 fatalities. Improving the general public knowledge of, attitudes towards, and practices in, (KAP) food safety is necessary for minimizing FBD transmission. In Malaysia, migrant workers account for 11.1% of the workforce, with a high proportion involved in food and beverage services. Therefore, this study aimed (i) to evaluate the current food safety KAP, and (ii) to identify the strategies to promote food safety awareness, among migrant workers across occupational sectors in Klang Valley. METHOD A survey was conducted with 403 migrant workers through phone interviews and online self-administered questionnaires. Piecewise structural equation modelling and multinomial regression were applied to identify predictor variables for food safety KAP and to explore differences across nationalities. RESULTS The respondents were Nepalese, Filipino and Indonesian. The majority were male, working in the services industry, had completed high school, aged between 30 and 39 years and had worked in Malaysia for less than ten years. Knowledge was significantly correlated with attitudes and practices. Female respondents had lower knowledge and attitude scores while younger respondents had lower knowledge scores. Indonesian and Filipino respondents had lower knowledge and attitudes scores than Nepalese respondents. Understanding food safety information from social media was positively correlated with the respondents' food safety knowledge and practices. CONCLUSION These findings highlighted: (i) the need to target female, younger, Indonesian and Filipino migrant workers, and (ii) the potential of social media to improve public awareness of food safety and hygienic practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Nazir Chaudhary
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Voon-Ching Lim
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Biology, Chulalongkorn University, 10330, Bangkok, Thailand; National Primate Research Center of Thailand, Chulalongkorn University, 18110, Saraburi, Thailand
| | - Norhidayu Sahimin
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Jalan Profesor Diraja Ungku Aziz, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Erwin Martinez Faller
- Pharmacy Department, School of Allied Health, San Pedro College, 12, Guzman St, Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines
| | - Pramod Regmi
- Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, BH8 8GP, United Kingdom
| | - Nirmal Aryal
- Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, BH8 8GP, United Kingdom
| | - Adzzie Shazleen Azman
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Roshidi N, Mohd Hassan NH, Abdul Hadi A, Arifin N. Current state of infection and prevalence of giardiasis in Malaysia: a review of 20 years of research. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12483. [PMID: 34824920 PMCID: PMC8590804 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Giardiasis is a neglected parasitic zoonotic disease caused by Giardia duodenalis that is often overlooked despite the damage inflicted upon humans and domestic/wild animals. Lack of surveillance studies, low sensitivity of diagnostic tools, and resistance to giardiasis treatment add to the challenge in managing giardiasis, leaving a gap that continues to render giardiasis a silent threat to public health worldwide. This situation is not much different in Malaysia, where giardiasis remains a public health problem, especially in the indigenous communities. Realizing the existence of gaps in the literature and information on giardiasis in Malaysia, this review aims to revisit and update the situation of giardiasis in Malaysia based on articles published in 20 years from 2000 to 2020, providing estimates on the incidence of giardiasis in humans, animals, and the environment, which may inform efforts to prevent and control the impact of giardiasis in the country. Methodology We searched PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus using MeSH terms and text keywords "Giardia duodenalis OR Giardia intestinalis OR Giardia lamblia OR intestinal protozoa AND Malaysia". Information was collected from all giardiasis reports published between 2000 and 2020. Results Giardiasis in Malaysia is more prevalent among the poorest segments of the population, namely the indigenous communities and people living in densely populated areas such as slums and prisons, due to low standard of personal hygiene, unsafe water resources, and improper sanitation. While the prevalence data is hugely dependent on microscopic fecal examination in epidemiological studies of giardiasis, current studies mostly focused on species identification and genotype distribution by multilocus genotyping. Thus far, the outbreak of giardiasis has not been reported in the country, but the disease was found to be significantly associated with stunting, wasting, and malnutrition among children of the indigenous communities. Surveillance studies also discovered the simultaneous presence of Giardia in the animal-environments, including wild animals, ruminants, and treated and untreated water. The data collected here will be a useful addition to the literature body on giardiasis in Malaysia, which can be exploited in efforts to prevent and control the impact of giardiasis in the country. Conclusions The last 10 years have shown that the overall mean rate of giardiasis in Malaysia is quite encouraging at 13.7%. While this figure appears to be declining, there has been a slight increase in the prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting among rural children in 2019. The fact that giardiasis is linked to long-term childhood developmental problems, indicates that addressing and providing better disease control against giardiasis should be a priority in supporting the national agenda to achieve Malaysia Global Nutrition Targets by 2025.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norhamizah Roshidi
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
| | | | - Asma Abdul Hadi
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Norsyahida Arifin
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
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de Smalen AW, Chan ZX, Abreu Lopes C, Vanore M, Loganathan T, Pocock NS. Developing an evidence assessment framework and appraising the academic literature on migrant health in Malaysia: a scoping review. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e041379. [PMID: 33462099 PMCID: PMC7813391 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A large number of international migrants in Malaysia face challenges in obtaining good health, the extent of which is still relatively unknown. This study aims to map the existing academic literature on migrant health in Malaysia and to provide an overview of the topical coverage, quality and level of evidence of these scientific studies. METHODS A scoping review was conducted using six databases, including Econlit, Embase, Global Health, Medline, PsycINFO and Social Policy and Practice. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were conducted in Malaysia, peer-reviewed, focused on a health dimension according to the Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative (BARHII) framework, and targeted the vulnerable international migrant population. Data were extracted by using the BARHII framework and a newly developed decision tree to identify the type of study design and corresponding level of evidence. Modified Joanna Briggs Institute checklists were used to assess study quality, and a multiple-correspondence analysis (MCA) was conducted to identify associations between different variables. RESULTS 67 publications met the selection criteria and were included in the study. The majority (n=41) of studies included foreign workers. Over two-thirds (n=46) focused on disease and injury, and a similar number (n=46) had descriptive designs. The average quality of the papers was low, yet quality differed significantly among them. The MCA showed that high-quality studies were mostly qualitative designs that included refugees and focused on living conditions, while prevalence and analytical cross-sectional studies were mostly of low quality. CONCLUSION This study provides an overview of the scientific literature on migrant health in Malaysia published between 1965 and 2019. In general, the quality of these studies is low, and various health dimensions have not been thoroughly researched. Therefore, researchers should address these issues to improve the evidence base to support policy-makers with high-quality evidence for decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allard Willem de Smalen
- Maastricht Graduate School of Governance, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- United Nations University-Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- United Nations University-International Institute for Global Health, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Zhie X Chan
- United Nations University-International Institute for Global Health, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Claudia Abreu Lopes
- United Nations University-International Institute for Global Health, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Michaella Vanore
- Maastricht Graduate School of Governance, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- United Nations University-Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Tharani Loganathan
- Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-based Practice, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nicola S Pocock
- United Nations University-International Institute for Global Health, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Gender Violence & Health Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Paudyal P, Kulasabanathan K, Cassell JA, Memon A, Simkhada P, Wasti SP. Health and well-being issues of Nepalese migrant workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Malaysia: a systematic review. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e038439. [PMID: 33109656 PMCID: PMC7592279 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To summarise the evidence on health and well-being of Nepalese migrant workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Malaysia. DESIGN Systematic review. DATA SOURCES EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus and Global Health databases. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Studies were eligible if they: (1) included Nepalese migrant workers aged 18 or older working in the GCC countries or Malaysia or returnee migrant workers from these countries; (2) were primary studies that investigated health and well-being status/issues; and (3) were published in English language before 8 May 2020. STUDY APPRAISAL All included studies were critically appraised using Joanna Briggs Institute study specific tools. RESULTS A total of 33 studies were eligible for inclusion; 12 studies were conducted in Qatar, 8 in Malaysia, 9 in Nepal, 2 in Saudi Arabia and 1 each in UAE and Kuwait. In majority of the studies, there was a lack of disaggregated data on demographic characteristics of Nepalese migrant workers. Nearly half of the studies (n=16) scored as 'high' quality and the rest (n=17) as 'moderate' quality. Five key health and well-being related issues were identified in this population: (1) occupational hazards; (2) sexual health; (3) mental health; (4) healthcare access and (5) infectious diseases. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive review of the health and well-being of Nepalese migrant workers in the GCC countries and Malaysia. This review highlights an urgent need to identify and implement policies and practices across Nepal and destination countries to protect the health and well-being of migrant workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyamvada Paudyal
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK
| | - Kavian Kulasabanathan
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK
| | - Jackie A Cassell
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK
| | - Anjum Memon
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK
| | - Padam Simkhada
- Department of Allied Health Professions, Sport and Exercise, Faculty of Health, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK
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Boughattas S, Behnke JM, Al-Sadeq D, Ismail A, Abu-Madi M. Cryptosporidium spp., prevalence, molecular characterisation and socio-demographic risk factors among immigrants in Qatar. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007750. [PMID: 31661498 PMCID: PMC6818760 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization WHO has estimated that in developed countries, up to 30% of the population may suffer from foodborne diseases each year, and that in developing countries up to 2 million deaths per annum can be attributed to cryptosporidiosis. Reports have already emphasized the role of immigrants in outbreaks of parasitic diseases especially those working in food processing industries. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Herein we assessed Cryptosporidium spp. infections among immigrants in Qatar with a special focus on food handlers and housemaids. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. by q-PCR among 839 asymptomatic subjects was 4.5%. Based on the Gp60 gene, the majority of isolates were identified as C. parvum subtype IIdA20G1b. The positive sample for C. hominis was subtyped as IeA12G3T3. Seven mixed infections were also identified (four C. parvum + C. hominis, and three C. parvum + C. meleagridis). The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. did not differ significantly between the sexes or age classes but varied significantly between subjects affiliated to different religions with the lowest prevalence among the Muslims. Multifactorial analysis retained also marked significance with education, income, and a house contents index. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our results contribute to a better understanding of the epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis and the risk factors associated with the likelihood of carrying this infection among immigrant workers from developing countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Boughattas
- College of Health Sciences, Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Jerzy M. Behnke
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Duaa Al-Sadeq
- College of Health Sciences, Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Ahmed Ismail
- Medical Commission, Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar
| | - Marawan Abu-Madi
- College of Health Sciences, Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- * E-mail:
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